In an automatic transmission for a vehicle, a speed ratio is automatically changed according to a vehicle speed and throttle opening. Some automatic transmissions comprise a manual shift mode so that a driver can change the speed ratio manually. A shifting device of such an automatic transmission is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,987,792.
When the driver intends to apply the manual shift mode, the driver moves a shift lever from a first shift lane to a second shift lane through a change over lane. When the driver moves the shift lever in an upshift direction in the second shift lane, an upshift command is output to the transmission, and when the driver moves the shift lever in a downshift direction in the second shift lane, a downshift command is output to the transmission. Whether or not the shift lever has moved to the second shift lane, or whether or not the shift lever has moved in the upshift or downshift directions, is detected by plural switches provided in the change over lane and second shift lane.